Math OCR: handwriting to LaTeX
Recognise handwritten mathematics and turn it into editable LaTeX.
Math OCR reads mathematics from an image and converts it into a form you can edit, usually LaTeX. Plain text OCR cannot do this: maths is two-dimensional, with fractions, exponents, integrals and matrices that a line-of-text reader mangles. LatexNotes is built for exactly this. It recognises the maths on a page of handwriting and returns compilable LaTeX, and it goes further than recognition alone: hand-drawn graphs are recreated as editable TikZ and pgfplots, and you get a real compiled PDF, not just a string of code.
What math OCR should handle
- Structure, not just symbols: fractions, powers and subscripts, roots, sums, integrals, and matrices, kept in the right shape.
- Whole pages, not only a single cropped equation, so a full worked solution comes across in order.
- Figures, so a hand-drawn plot becomes an editable graph rather than a flat picture.
- Usable output: LaTeX you can compile and edit, plus a finished PDF you can use straight away.
How to use it
- Upload a photo or a PDF of your handwritten maths - one page free, no account needed to try.
- Each page is recognised and transcribed into compilable LaTeX with its graphs recreated.
- Check the result against your original, edit anything in the built-in editor, then export.
Is math OCR always accurate?
Automatic recognition is a strong starting point, not a guarantee, especially on dense or messy handwriting - which is why the side-by-side compare and the built-in editor are there, so you can check and fix a page in seconds. Neat writing, good contrast and one topic per page give the most accurate result. On Pro you can also clip any step and have it explained, generate practice questions, or plot an equation.
Related: handwriting to LaTeX, photo to LaTeX, and the free LaTeX equation editor for single equations.
Try math OCR on a page of your notes